Tipperary TDs Jackie Cahill and Michael Lowry have welcomed news that the swimming pool in the Garda Training College in Templemore is to reopen soon. College management says that any local schools that had submitted an application for a licence to use the pool before it closed will be contacted this week by the Garda College to inform them of the impending reopening and ensure that their licence application for use of the pool is submitted to the OPW. The OPW owns the facility and issues licences for school access to the pool.
The statement today makes no reference to an application submitted by Mr Mark Kiely who has been involved in providing swimming classes at the pool – a facility that had been available at weekends since 1965. Deputy Cahill says that he will continue to support the campaign led by the We Just Want to Swim Group Templemore until this application is put forward for a licence by the management at the Garda college. In an effort to resolve the issue Deputy Cahill has asked the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to intervene and ensure that the licence for the community group as against only school groups is enabled by College management.
